Re: Fw : A Victory For Improving School Facilities/ HR 3021 Passes

[Guest guest]

Read #7 & #11b

It still has to pass in the Senate and avoid Presidential veto.

The local school districts will still allocate where the money is

spent. If this becomes law, they will have a source of financing, but

they still will be ignorant of the realities of the dangers of

mold/mycotoxins. The journey of a thousand miles, begins with a

single step.

Joe

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H.R.3021

21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act

(Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House)

SEC. 103. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS.

A local educational agency receiving a grant under this title shall

use the grant for modernization, renovation, or repair of public

school facilities, including--

(1) repairing, replacing, or installing roofs, including extensive,

intensive or semi-intensive green roofs, electrical wiring, plumbing

systems, sewage systems, lighting systems, or components of such

systems, windows, or doors, including security doors;

(2) repairing, replacing, or installing heating, ventilation, air

conditioning systems, or components of such systems (including

insulation), including indoor air quality assessments;

(3) bringing public schools into compliance with fire, health, and

safety codes, including professional installation of fire/life safety

alarms, including modernizations, renovations, and repairs that

ensure that schools are prepared for emergencies, such as improving

building infrastructure to accommodate security measures;

(4) modifications necessary to make public school facilities

accessible to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

(42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), except that such modifications shall not be

the primary use of the grant;

(5) asbestos or polychlorinated biphenyls abatement or removal from

public school facilities;

(6) implementation of measures designed to reduce or eliminate human

exposure to lead-based paint hazards through methods including

interim controls, abatement, or a combination of each;

(7) implementation of measures designed to reduce or eliminate human

exposure to mold or mildew;

(8) upgrading or installing educational technology infrastructure to

ensure that students have access to up-to-date educational technology;

(9) modernization, renovation, or repair of science and engineering

laboratory facilities, libraries, and career and technical education

facilities, including those related to energy efficiency and

renewable energy, and improvements to building infrastructure to

accommodate bicycle and pedestrian access;

(10) renewable energy generation and heating systems, including

solar, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, or biomass, including wood

pellet, systems or components of such systems;

(11) other modernization, renovation, or repair of public school

facilities to--

(A) improve teachers' ability to teach and students' ability to learn;

( ensure the health and safety of students and staff;

© make them more energy efficient; or

(D) reduce class size; and

(12) required environmental remediation related to public school

modernization, renovation, or repair described in paragraphs (1)

through (11).

...........................................................

> Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3021, the

21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, by a

vote of 250-164. Despite the issuance of a veto threat by President

Bush, 27 members of his own party voted for the bill. See how your

U.S. representative voted.

> This is a tremendous victory for public schools, educators and

children. The legislation authorizes $6.4 billion annually to help

states and school districts address school conditions that compromise

learning and teaching. The bill also creates more than 100,000 well-

paying construction jobs and supports AFT efforts to promote green,

sustainable schools.

[Guest guest]

Joe - you are correct about what you say, but #7 " enumerates " the

mold/mildew thing...so it is undeniable, framed in the negative...

Reducing class size is always desirable...from many standpoints, when

you have lots of kids in a small space, the sneeze, cough, etc. on

each other and the teacher. This taxes the teacher's immune system.

Mold and mildew further attack it.

So, from that common sense point of view, it does make a lot of sense.

For years, schools have been erected by the standard of an

" architect " not designed by the needs of the students for " access " or

for the maximization of the teacher's talents.

A building might be lovely to the eye, but not kid-friendly or teacher

-friendly. Never mind the health hazards...At least it will provide a

" funding source " - once it gets to the local level, there must be

controls in place to make sure it goes for repairs and retrofitting

for energy conservation. It is up to the citizens to make sure the

money is spent appropriate to the legislative intent of the law.